Recipe - Baked Pears Stuffed With Almonds

BAKED PEARS
One fourth cup White wine
One fourth cup Water
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
One half cup Sugar
1 Cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
One fourth teaspoon Grated lemon peel
One fourth teaspoon Ground cardamom; (optional)
1/8 teaspoon Ground cloves
4 Mediumripe pears (Bartlett
or Comice); peeled halved
and cored

ALMOND FILLING
2/3 cup Whole natural almonds
3 tablespoon Sugar
One fourth teaspoon Finely grated lemon peel; up
to One half tsp
One fourth teaspoon Ground cardamom; optional
1/8 teaspoon Salt
One half Egg white; (about 1 1/2
tablespoons)

BAKED PEARS: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix in all ingredients except pears
in shallow glass or ceramic baking dish large enough to fit pear halves in
a single layer. Place pears in dish, cut sides down; cover loosely with
aluminum foil. Bake 15 to 25 minutes until pears are just tender.
Meanwhile, prepare Almond Filling.

ALMOND FILLING: In bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, combine
all ingredients. Process until almonds are coarsely chopped.

TO FINISH DESSERT: Invert hot baked pear halves in dish. Fill cavities with
Amond Filling, divided equally. Continue to bake 10 minutes, then place 6
inches under broiler about 1 minute, watching closely, to lightly brown
almonds. Place pears in individual dishes with the syrup. Accompany with a
small scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.